BILLINGS — A significant reduction in staff at the U.S. Department of Education has raised alarms among parents and educators, particularly those advocating for students with disabilities. Just weeks ago, the agency's workforce was around 4,100, but current figures show that number has dropped to approximately 2,100 following the Trump administration's announcement to dismantle the department and transfer control to the states.
On Wednesday, the administration signaled plans to go a step further when a report emerged that Trump is planning to sign an executive order Thursday aimed at shutting down the department. Congress must approve any action to close a federal agency.
Rebecca Richards, a Montana parent of a child with disabilities, is among those worried about the implications of the cuts at the Department of Education. Richards has fought against numerous obstacles to ensure her daughter receives a proper education, and she fears the state won't be able to meet her child's education needs.
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“For most parents, this is a very hard journey. It's a hard journey to get the education for their children,” Richards said.
Richards knows this struggle well. Her daughter has cystic fibrosis and diabetes, which led to frequent hospitalizations when she started school.
"She was so very, very sick in those early years. School was a bit of a hardship,” Richards explained. "We ended up, we did do some early intervention with her. And she ended up on an IEP, special education."
Richards successfully obtained an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for her daughter, which later transitioned to a Department of Education Section 504 Plan, both of which ensure equal access to education for students with disabilities.
“The Department of Education is a crucial avenue for parents to advocate for necessary services for their children,” she added. “We're not a resource-rich state. It's a struggle for our parents and our families to get, you know, the medical needs, much less the special education needs."
While Trump has indicated plans to eliminate the agency since he took office in January, it's unclear if he has the political support in Congress.
“I don't understand the rationale behind that. If anything, we should be putting way more resources into education in general,” Jamie Isaly, a retired teacher and current Montana Democratic House representative from Livingston, said. “While it's very concerning, I also think we have to be patient… we want to assess the situation, really see how it's going to impact us and our students and our schools in the state.”
Richards' daughter has successfully transitioned to college in Arizona, but Richards is anxious about the potential loss of educational rights under the new structure.
"My child has graduated, is in college. We're working with the disability office at her state's public institution," Richards said. “She falls under OCR's (Office of Civil Rights) 504 at that state public institution to be stripped of those rights. It's a really scary place to be."
The Department of Education has stated it will continue to provide funding for special needs students. However, Richards fears that the shift in control may create additional barriers for parents and children seeking the support they need.
“We just really need those pieces in place to ensure that our most vulnerable students are taken care of,” Richards emphasized.
